


Deck of Cards

by Kurama no Miko2003 (SilverKitsune)



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Angst, Death, Drug Use, F/M, Grief, M/M, Romance, friendship!!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-25
Updated: 2016-09-25
Packaged: 2018-08-17 04:58:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 18
Words: 13,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8131274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverKitsune/pseuds/Kurama%20no%20Miko2003
Summary: A collection of drabbles written back in 2011-2012, mostly for the YGO Drabble LJ community, along with a few longer one-shots.  Cross posting the highlights here for posterity.





	1. Reflection

**Author's Note:**

> Challenge Name and Number: Hair Care, #042  
> Drabble Title: Reflection  
> Word Count: 333  
> Warnings (if applicable): None  
> Pairings (if applicable): Puzzleshipping.  
> Author's Note: Post-canon.  
> Summary: Ever since that day, Yuugi held a weekly ritual.

Hairspray, check.

Hair gel, check.

Brush, check.

Bobby pins, check.

Eyeliner, check.

Mascara, check.

Satisfied, he meticulously began his weekly ritual.

He carefully sculpted his hair, using mass quantities of hair gel to make sure each point held together. Taking a piece of his blond fringe, he carefully clipped it into place onto the middle point using the bobby pins, then doused it in hairspray and gel once he was pleased with its arrangement on the red-outlined point. Convinced it would maintain its position without support, he pulled out the pins, and grabbed another blond lock, repeating the same process. One last repetition, and the top part of his hair was done. Taking the brush into his hands, he got it wet, and began brushing the lower portion of his blond forelocks on the right. Once they were wet enough, he carefully curled them inwards, towards his neck, using hairspray to hold it in place. Hairstyling now completed, he checked over his reflection in the mirror. _Perfect_.

Next up, the eyes. Carefully, he applied the eyeliner, then set to accenting his lashes with mascara. Looking in the mirror, he squinted as hard as he could, narrowing his (in his opinion, anyway) abnormally large eyes. As he locked gazes with his reflection in the mirror, he smirked, just the way his _other_ used to, and reached out with one hand to touch the reflection's face, pretending, for a moment, that it was not cold hard glass he was feeling, but warm smooth skin.

And he realized, with a twisted sense of irony, that the only time they had ever truly touched each other as two people in two separate bodies in the real world was during their farewells. But it was far too late now for him to change his mind.

"Hello, mou hitori no boku," he whispered. "I miss you."

And somewhere, in the echoes of his memory, he thought heard a _"Hello, aibou. I miss you too."_ in return.


	2. The Power Behind the Throne

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Challenge Name and Number: #044, Invisible  
> Drabble Title: The Power Behind the Throne  
> Word Count: 596  
> Warnings (if applicable): None really, although it depends on how you want to read into Yami/Nameless Pharaoh/Atem/whatever-you-want-to-call-him's feelings for Yuugi as I have written here.  
> Pairings (if applicable): One-sided Revolutionshipping, Puzzleshippy  
> Author's Note: Set during the Doma/Orichalcos arc, on the train ride in episode 160. Written for the YGO Drabble LJ community.  
> Summary: She always thought it would be her, until now. With him gone, she realizes just who the real power was behind the Nameless Pharaoh.

She knew, from all the fairy tales she used to read, and all the history lessons she heard, that behind every king was someone who held him together, who encouraged him when he needed it, who picked him up when he fell down. She knew, that this person was the so-called invisible "power" behind the throne. She knew, that in the case of a king, the person was usually a girl the king loved, and the girl, of course, loved him in return.

In her daydreams and fantasies, that was who she was: the dancing girl that was the "other half" of the King of Duelists.

And in her fantasies, how perfect could it be? She had gone to the library, and done her research – pharaohs had a troupe of dancing girls for entertainment. In her little daydreams, she was the pharaoh's favorite.

But then Dartz and Orichalcos happened, and Yuugi was stolen away. And she realized just how much her fantasies would remain simply that: a fantasy.

For the first time, she saw just how little influence she had on him. She had tried so very hard on the train ride to cheer him up, even just a little. To raise his flagging morale, to give him hope that everything would work out in the end. But she was not the one who grounded him, was not the embodiment of the other half of his soul – simply put, she saw now, she was not Yuugi. And to her disappointment, she only succeeded in driving him away from his seat next to her, and out of the awkward atmosphere of the compartment. She followed a few minutes later, despite Honda and Jounouchi's words, and through the rounded square window on the door, she saw him slumped down the wall and onto the floor, cradling the Puzzle as though it were a memento from a long lost lover. She was sure she saw tears running down his face, if that black trail of make up from the corner of his eyes was anything to go by.

And then she realized: Not once had she ever seen him cry.

He did not cry in relief when he saved her from that crazed bomber in the Ferris wheel, not out of anger or grief when the Kaiba brothers had been turned to stone in front of them, not when Mai was left comatose after her duel with Malik's insane evil side. Never. And on second thought, when had she ever seen him lose any and all hope like this in the past? Even when the situation looked impossible, he never once stopped believing that he could succeed in creating a miracle.

And he always did. This time would be no different.

So she did the only thing she could. She would go back to her seat, make no mention of what she had seen, and wait. She would not be jealous of Yuugi – she knew the short teenager well enough and long enough to know he more than deserved the affections of a king.

So she sat down, pointedly ignored Honda and Jounouchi's mirrored curious glances and waited.

For even _if_ she could not be the one invisible driving force behind all of his actions, the one he would do everything for, she would at the very least stand in for her dearest and longest friend who _was_. Because that was what Yuugi _would_ have done if their positions were reversed. And she was not about to let him down, even in his absence.


	3. All That Was Left Unsaid

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Challenge Name and Number: #047, 7 Deadly Sins  
> Drabble Title: All That Was Left Unsaid  
> Word Count: 374  
> Warnings (if applicable): Puzzleshipping UST (At least, I hope I managed to capture that)  
> Pairings (if applicable): Puzzleshipping (Shouldn't be a surprise by now, should it?)  
> Summary: For the first time, he hated his fate, his destiny.  
> AN: As before, written for the YGO Drabble LJ community.

The door opened with the thunderous grinding of stone upon stone, showing nothing but the blinding white light of the other side. Three feet of ancient stone was all that stood between them and a lifetime of separation. His heart clenched painfully in his throat as he saw the silhouetted form of his other.

He regretted playing that damned card already.

For the first time in his life, he hated his fate, his destiny. For the first time, he wanted to give into his desires and temptation. To be selfish. To throw away the needs of the world for his own. To give into the feelings he kept so tightly bound to his heart.

And if that meant he had to fall off of that damned shining pedestal everyone put him on, so be it.

He wanted to touch and be touched, to love and be loved, to possess and be possessed. To know how it felt to be filled by the only one he loved more than life itself. To drown himself in the arms of his other – only to beg for more. To give his other the only thing he had left to give. Would it be so wrong for him, the one who everyone saw as the pure one, the savior, to be have such desires?

But what right did he have to force the other into an existence as a disembodied spirit?

None. He had none, and so to see to it his other left without regrets, he spoke nothing of his desires, his wish, and simply settled with letting his other know he would never be forgotten. Parting words said, his other simply walked into the light, never once looking back. The door closed with a resounding finality, and the ceiling began to crumble. Someone pulled him along, away from the rocks, away from certain death and out of the tomb. Still reeling from the emotion of the moment, from knowing that he had forever lost his chance to tell his other how he felt, his body allowed it.

And as they all stood outside, looking at the collapsed entrance, he suddenly wished he had pulled away.

After all, if he died, they would never be separated again.


	4. Brilliant Overtures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Challenge Name and Number: #048, 7 Heavenly Virtues  
> Drabble Title: Brilliant Overtures  
> Word Count: 600  
> Warnings: AU, Genderbend! That means Fem!Yuugi, Fem!Atem, male!Anzu, you get the picture. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.  
> Pairings: Either pre-Puzzleshipping, or the beginnings of Romantic Two Girl Friendship genderbent Puzzleshipping style, take your pick.  
> Summary: Yuugi stepped up onto the roof for lunch as always, except the roof wasn't as empty as it normally was.

Yuugi stepped up onto the roof for lunch as always, her tonkatsu sandwich and milk clutched in one arm as she pushed the door open with a squeak. As usual, the roof was . . . _not_ empty? Someone else was there for once, and, judging by the uniform they wore, female. But that was not what currently held her speechless.

The other girl, save for a few fashion and hairstyling differences, could have passed for Yuugi's twin, and her mind boggled at the thought of someone else having hair so very similar to hers. She had, of course, heard the rumors about the new transfer student from Mazaki-kun, including the bit about her appearance, but she had laughed it off, thinking it had to be a joke. After all, who else could have crazy hair like hers? There were a few other rumors too, such as the new girl being involved in street fights, and that was why she had to transfer out of her old school. But not all rumors were true . . . right?

Putting on a bright smile, Yuugi approached her almost-twin, and held out her hand. "Hello, I'm Mutou Yuugi from class 1-C. I don't think I've seen you around here before, are you new?"

The other girl nodded, hesitantly gripped Yuugi's hand in a firm handshake, and curtly replied, "Yamino Atemu. 1-D," before turning back to her bento.

They sat in companionable silence, Yuugi happily munching on her tonkatsu sandwich between sips of milk while reading a magazine article about the newest Duel Monsters cards to be released by Industrial Illusions, while Atemu quietly observed the school grounds and city below as she neatly continued to eat. As the other quietly began putting her bento box away, Yuugi noticed how lonely the other girl appeared – given the rumors, Yuugi was hardly surprised – and began looking for a way to start a conversation with the other girl, when her eyes landed on the handkerchief Atemu's bento had been wrapped in.

"Yamino-san, do you happen to like Duel Monsters?" Yuugi meekly asked. Talking to new people was never really her thing – she was incredibly shy – but Yuugi's love for games gave her the courage she needed. When Atemu didn't immediately reply, and Yuugi quickly added, "It's alright if you don't, I just thought since you had that handkerchief-"

"Yes."

Yuugi's face lit up. To meet another girl who liked games was a rare thing indeed! "Me too! You said you're new here, right? Why don't you come over some time? My family runs a game shop near downtown, and we carry all the latest cards. I'm sure if you came by my grandpa would give you a discount!"

Atemu could not resist smiling, as Yuugi's infectious enthusiasm radiated out along with her friendliness. "If it's not too much trouble, Mutou-san."

"No need to be so formal, Yuugi's fine. Are you free this Sunday?"

Atemu nodded. She had nothing planned for the weekend anyway.

The bell chimed, signaling the end of the lunch period. Yuugi all but bounced her way to the door, happy to have found a new friend. "C'mon, I'll walk back to class with you, Yamino-san!"

Atemu stood, straightening her skirt as she approached the stairs leading down to her classroom. Looking at Yuugi's broadly grinning face, she decided that this new school might not be so bad after all.

"If I'm going to call you Yuugi," she called out, "then it's only fair you call me Atemu!"


	5. Visited Upon the Son

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Challenge Name and Number: #049, Death  
> Drabble Title: Visited Upon the Son  
> Word Count: 600  
> Warnings (if applicable): Blood, allusions to torture  
> Pairings (if applicable): None (Shocker, right?)  
> Summary: Anything and everything he holds dear shall be stripped away, until he finally dies with the full understanding of what his father had done that day.  
> Author's Note: Heavily inspired by the phrase, "The sins of the father shall be visited upon the son."

He stared, fascinated by the lines of red that ran down the wall, outlining the cracks where the stones had been cut to fit together. She had been so delicate, so graceful, so light – there was never a doubt she had been his favorite.

And now, she is no more.

Knives sharper than a crocodile's teeth had pinned her to the wall, her gauzy dancer's clothes torn from the struggle, the last of her blood slowly trickling out to congeal onto the floor. Knife slashes marred her cooling body from neck to toe – he left her face, forever frozen in pain and fear, unmarred on purpose. For a moment, the puddle spreading across the stone floor reminded him of another place, another time – had he concentrated, he could have started hearing their screams of agony and fear as they were mercilessly dropped into cursed molten gold. He shook his head to clear his mind; now was not the time or the place to be dwelling on half suppressed memories.

Anything and everything he holds dear, I shall strip away from him, as his father had done to me.

It mattered not that he was exacting his revenge upon the son and not the father. The father he would get around to soon enough, just as soon as the rites were completed. The door to the room suddenly slammed open, interrupting his thoughts, and a glimpse over his shoulder revealed a winged golden crown.

Perfect. Just who I wanted. A sinister sneer spread across his face.

Crimson eyes widened in shock as their owner took in the sight of the room: the slowly expanding puddle of red on the floor, the limp body pinned to the stone wall by a knife through slender wrists, the tanned hunched figure, with his hair as white as sun-bleached wood in the desert, blocking the victim from view. The shock instantly turned to anger.

"BAKURA!"

The murderer whirled, cackling as the coat flared out impressively around him, giving the other a full view of the victim. "Pharaoh," he answered with barely concealed sadism, "how kind of you to join us." He paused, feigning disappointment, "But I'm afraid you were too late to join me for the main dish." He approached the girl, placing a seemingly gentle hand under her chin to direct her wide unseeing stare at the man in the entryway.

"How dare you-! She was barely-"

He cackled more as his hand left her chin to cup her delicate female form. "She was so delicious, with her meager attempts to stop me and her cries of pain. I only wished you could have been here to experience it."

"You-"

"Just remember, Pharaoh," he spat out the title like a curse word, "I'm only doing unto you what has already been done to me. Sins of the father and all that." Not bothering to explain further, he let out a shrill whistle, and leaped out of the window and onto the back of a horse charging by. A white horse. The Pharaoh's horse.

Guards rushed out of the palace to stop his escape, but to no avail – they could not stop him, the King of Thieves, the Chosen One of the sacrifices of Kul Elna. No one could, not until he had destroyed this dynasty with his own two hands, denying them of their eternity of paradise in the Field of Reeds, their names forever lost and unspoken.

Just like the ninety nine other souls he had once called his family.


	6. Moving On

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Challenge Name and Number: #052, Blind Faith  
> Drabble Title: Moving On  
> Word Count: 584  
> Warnings: post-canon, Puzzle/Blindshippy  
> Pairings: Puzzle/Blindshipping-ish. Nothing explicitly romantic, though.  
> Summary: Even if they couldn't have given him the send-off they'd wanted to, they'll always make time to remember him.  
> Author's Notes: According to wikipedia, the hieroglyph for Horus, the god associated with pharaohs, is a peregrine falcon. You'll see why it's important at the end.

Yuugi fought the urge to cringe as Anzu gave him The Look again for the fifth time that day. Sure, they had sent off his Other Self a few days earlier, and yes, he would be lying to himself if he said he wasn't upset the other had left to begin with. But he wasn't about to break down in tears again. Not when the last thing he had felt through their mind link was contentment, gratitude, and eternal affection.

For a moment, Jounouchi reached for his jacket pocket, as though he wanted to suggest a duel, except Anzu noticed out of the corner of her eye, and gave him The Look instead. Yuugi almost felt sorry for him as Jounouchi withered under her gaze and proceeded to slouch lower in his seat on the couch.

"Yuugi, are you alright?"

Yuugi sighed; just how many more times will he have to answer that question? "I'm fine, Anzu."

"I heard there was a new movie playing in the theater near Kaibaland that's pretty good," Honda started. He was about to continue, except Anzu turned her Look on him instead. That particular Kaibaland had been the one where Kaiba opened Death T and forced them to win their way up the tower against near-impossible odds.

They all fell into an uncomfortable silence, when Yuugi decided he'd had enough. "Anzu, I'm fine. I'm not about to fall apart, I'll be fine. I have to be." Anzu opened her mouth to say something in protest, but he continued.

"The last thing he sent me through our mind link wasn't in the form of words, just feelings. He was happy to be going back to his friends and family. He was grateful to us for helping him along the way," Yuugi decided to leave out the part involving Atem's eternal affection; he had a sneaking suspicion that that part had truly been for him and him alone. "And if that's how he felt at the end, then there's nothing I can do other than believe he is happy where he is now," he resignedly finished. Silence settled once more in the room, leaving Yuugi's declaration of faith hanging in the air.

"I suppose, in the end," Jounouchi began, "we didn't really get to send him off the way we wanted to."

"No, we really didn't. I wish we had more time with him," Honda chimed in. Melancholy sunk in, as "what ifs" and "could haves" encircled their thoughts. Between the tournaments and saving the world, there had been very few opportunities to get to know the reclusive spirit better.

Suddenly, Anzu brightened up, "Hey, Obon is coming soon. He's not an ancestor, but maybe we could do something for him anyway?"

Yuugi perked up at the idea. "I'm sure the Other Me would like that."

"He has a name, you know," Jounouchi playfully ribbed. "We helped him find it after all!"

Yuugi laughed, full and warm. "Force of habit?" he answered sheepily.

Outside, unseen by the four teenagers, a peregrine falcon perched on a tree, its eyes fully focused on the scene unfolding in the living room of the Turtle Game Shop's upper story. And as the group began discussing offerings to make to their recently departed friend, it took off into the skies above, until it blended into the clouds, and vanished.

Thank you, aibou, for believing. In both myself and you.


	7. Prize

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Challenge Name and Number: #051, Dragons  
> Drabble Title: Prize  
> Word Count: 600  
> Warnings: AU.  
> Pairings: None, but the potential is there for Puzzleshipping.  
> Summary: He was promised a unique treasure in exchange for his help. He had every intention of claiming it.  
> AN: I know I don't actually give the name of our wonderful dragon here, but I'm sure you all know who it is based on the description in my opening paragraph. Also an attempt on my part to write Atem with less emotional dependence on Yuugi and more Season 0-ish in character.

The colossal creature landed in the courtyard; its body a mountain of dull scales and purple-black shadows. Semi-transparent wings larger than a ship's sail folded back as it closed its glowing red eyes in concentration. The creature shrank, scales pulling back to reveal a tanned face framed with golden bangs and a lithe body wrapped in black clothes. He could have passed for a human, if not for the wisps of shadows leisurely rising from his body, his shoulder length red tipped black hair floating up in time to the waves of power. His blood red eyes opened, and he commanded the nearest guard, "Take me to your king."

The guard quavered, but manage to utter a, "He's – he's indisposed at the moment." A pause, and then, "sir."

He laughed, long and cruel and mocking. "He'll see me. After all, he made a deal with me to help him with his little war. I'm merely here to collect my prize." He raised a hand, manipulating the shadows in a moment of feigned boredom, and the guard instantly straightened – shadow dragons had a reputation for being fickle and temperamental at the best of times.

"I-I'll lead the way."

"Of course," he murmured in reply, dispelling the cantrip with a smirk. The guard led him to the throne room with its large vaulted ceiling. It was impressive by human standards, but it held little interest to the dragon – his own underground chambers were far more impressive than this.

The king entered, fear evident as he trembled on his throne. "I-I hope your journey was a safe one."

"Cut the small talk, you promised me a prize, a unique treasure in exchange for helping you with your petty little war, and I," he grinned, feral, draconic, and predatory, "am here to claim it."

The king hung his head as he waved his hand to the nearest guard. A girl, attractively dressed in a floor-length baby blue gown walked in – his daughter, the dragon noted – turning one last time to wave goodbye to a boy in the hallway. She approached, her steps quiet and graceful, her eyes never leaving the floor. He circled her once, his crimson eyes taking note of her figure and features but he was hardly interested. He looked up once more, boredom dripping off of his features.

"Is she not to your liking?"

He scoffed. He had no use for yet another girl; the villages closest to his den offered him a new one every decade. "Pretty maidens are a copper a dozen. Perhaps I shall destroy your kingdom instead," he mused, releasing his power.

"Wait!" a voice rang out from the door where the princess had entered. "Take me instead!"

The princess turned her head to the boy at the door, her composure crumbling, "Yuugi, no, you can't! You're the crown prince, you're not expendable!"

The dragon approached the boy, ignoring the girl's words. Innocent wide eyes the color of the purest amethysts sparkled with determination, not a trace of fear lurking underneath. Smooth unmarred skin met his tanned fingertips as he traced a finger down the prince's cheek. Now this, this had all the makings of a fun new toy. "So, are you offering yourself up to me, little one?" he murmured into the boy's ear.

The crown princeling looked straight into the dragon's eyes."If it will save my kingdom, yes."

The feral grin returned as the dragon turned back to the throne. "Very well. I accept."


	8. Second Chance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Challenge Name and Number: #054, Rebirth  
> Drabble Title: Second Chance  
> Word Count: 599  
> Warnings (if applicable): AU-ish, in that Atem stays after the Ceremonial Duel and the Items still exist.  
> Pairings (if applicable): None.  
> Summary: He'd awoken that morning to find the Ring and the Eye on his nightstand.

He looked at the innocuous piece of golden jewelry in his hands, and back to his friends. The Ceremonial Duel was over, Yuugi and Atem had received their new mission from the gods, and the Items had returned to their prior bearers, which was his only explanation for how the Ring and the Eye were innocently resting on his nightstand when he awoke that morning.

"Bakura-kun, I promise, we'll be right here in case something happens," Yuugi said with a reassuring smile. "We're ready in case the Other Bakura does something."

"Yeah!" Jounouchi chimed in, pumping a fist a display of strength. "We'll make sure he doesn't run off with your body!"

Closing his eyes, and readying himself for the worst, he looped the leather cord over his neck, and waited.

He was instantly pulled into the corridors of his mind, where he saw, once more a second door in the hallway. However, unlike before - the heavy metal door had always been barred shut and heavily trapped - it was open. He hung onto the door frame and peered into the darkness, but he saw little, even with the light from the hallway.

"Other Me?" he cautiously called into the darkness. No answer came, just echoing silence and the sound of his feet shuffling in the hallway. Carefully he put a hand through the doorway, surprised when nothing happened. He walked inside, and the interior lit up for him, ever so slightly. The walls, unlike the carefully fitted stone of the hallway, were made of mud brick, and the interior was sparsely decorated with shabby furniture, much like a peasant's hovel out of a fantasy novel. Or, he realized, much like the houses his father had described to him from one of his many archaeological digs in the Valley of Kings. As he explored the small living area, he heard a small sound, like someone shuffling around in a pile of clothes. Plucking up his courage – after all, if his Other Self had problems with him entering, he would have made his displeasure known long ago – he called out, "Hello?"

Another sniffle, and this time he could hear some muffled mumbling nearby. Following the noise, he found himself in front of a pile of dirty linens in the corner. Against his better judgment, he pulled the sheet away, only to find himself staring at a small white haired child with blood red eyes, cheeks liberally streaked with dirt and grime, save for the twin clean trails left by the child's endless tears. Gently putting an arm around the other, he asked, "What's the matter?"

The child rocked back and forth amidst the sheets, tears continuing to fall down his cheeks as he blankly stared at the wall. "They're all gone. They've all been taken away. They're all gone." The child continued to repeat the words as though they were his security blanket.

"Who?"

"Mother, father, sister," the child's eyes widened, "everyone!" The pieces suddenly clicked together. If what Yuugi and Atem had said about the Memory World was right, then this child could only be . . . !

"Shhhh," he soothed, carefully embracing the child, just as he wished someone had done for him that night, so many years ago, "it's alright. You're not alone. I'm here now." At those words, the child looked up, searching for any signs that he was lying, and, finding none, clung onto him and bawled.

And maybe this time, without Zorc's influence, everything will be okay.


	9. Still the Same

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Challenge Name and Number: #058, Role Reversal  
> Drabble Title: Still the Same  
> Word Count: 600  
> Warnings (if applicable): Post-canon  
> Pairings (if applicable): Peachshipping, slight side mentions of Revolutionshipping and Blindshipping (the latter two are mostly a blink-and-you'll-miss-it type mentions)  
> Summary: He'd come to visit her to watch her first show in a leading role, and she realized, that despite everything that had changed, and everything that had been flipped around, some things will always be the same.

Anzu watched as Yuugi pulled out a pen and signed his name for a pair of giggly fangirls, and tried to ignore the annoyance that she felt. It never settled well with her how Yuugi was always the one that got rejected or laughed at in high school, and now, well, now he was more or less considered the ultimate catch by the rest of the world. As the pair smiled their thanks and left, she shoved her annoyance aside, and exited the dance studio.

"Hi Yuugi! Been waiting long?" she greeted with a bright smile.

"Not really," he replied as he turned to face her with a soft smile of his own. It was the same smile he always gave her, even when they were teenagers in high school, once upon a time. Or so it felt, anyway.

Once upon a time, he had been the one chasing her, the one who could barely make eye contact with her without blushing and hastily turning away. He was quiet, shy, and constantly bullied. And most of all, no one knew the name Yuugi Mutou.

But that was then. This was now.

Now she was the one chasing him, and because she couldn't make up her mind back then, she had to wonder if that chance even exists anymore, after Atem had come and gone from their lives. These days, the name Yuugi Mutou is world famous; the hair and slight figure that was once the source of endless torment, a trademark. And though he was still quiet, he was hardly anything resembling shy. No, he had managed to cope with the fame that came with being the King of Duelists, and used that fame quite effectively to fund a scholarship for needy children and to give anti-bullying speeches in grade schools and colleges.

And as for her? Boys once drooled over her figure in high school, but in the world of dancing, there was no room for a girl with a curvy figure. The last five years had been more than enough to teach her that, between the snide remarks of her dance instructors and the cruel twitters of the students. But that was alright. She'd taken the real lesson from her high school days to heart: Believe in yourself, and anything can happen, even miracles.

"So, Anzu, where are we going for dinner tonight?"

"Well," she started, "I know of a really good burger place a few blocks from here . . . " She trailed off, as she watched his eyes light up. So maybe not everything about them had changed after all.

"Let's go!" he cheerfully agreed, as he held out his arm.

She looked back at him, confused.

"A gentleman is supposed to escort his lady, is he not?" he replied with a bit of a confident smirk. A smirk that, she realized with a pang, reminded her entirely too much of Atem. And yet . . .

And yet, if she were totally honest with herself, her light jacket was suddenly too warm for no apparent reason, despite the cool autumn breeze that was filtering through the streets.

Deciding to deal with those thoughts later, she took his arm, and jested, "But I'm still leading the way there." With that, they broke out into laughter, and for a moment, they weren't standing in front of a dance studio in New York.

It was like they were back in Domino City again, playing yet another new game in his bedroom above the Kame Game Shop after school.


	10. Priorities

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Challenge Name and Number: #062, Crack  
> Drabble Title: Priorities  
> Word Count: 591  
> Warnings (if applicable): Yami might be a wee bit OOC here.  
> Pairings (if applicable): None.  
> Summary: Yuugi is sleepy, Yami is vain. What else is new?  
> Author's Notes: Horribly inspired by That One Moment in the YGO Bonds Beyond Time movie, where my jaw dropped and I went, "Why does Yami have such perfect nails?"

Yuugi opened his eyes to a brightly lit ceiling, warm blankets, and the world's most comfortable bed. Sitting up, he spotted the usual scattered mess of toys and games on the floor. Alright, so he was in his soul room. And if he was here, that meant his Other Self had wanted to borrow their body for a moment to do something. Which, as far as Yuugi could tell, was fine. They'd managed to come up with a "Terms of Agreement" of sorts regarding what was "Okay" and "Not Okay" for their body.

For example, using their body to go out and experience the new inventions of modern era? Totally okay. Using their body so they could both hang out with their circle of friends? Also totally okay. Playing mentally-scarring Shadow Games on teenage bullies? Not okay, unless it was the difference between life and death. Or if the other guy started the game. Ever since their run-in with Pegasus, Yuugi was _totally_ okay with his Other Self finishing what the other guy started – as far as Yuugi was concerned, the Shadow Realm ranked as his Number One Place to Never Go For Vacation.

Which left the teenager rather confused as to why he was in his soul room - as far as he could tell, it was the crack of dawn on the day of a Very Normal Tournament. So why was his body awake when they could both be allowing it to rest so they could be awake enough to win that prize money? Leather clothes and silver accessories – both of which the spirit seemed to adore - weren't cheap!

Concentrating, Yuugi willed himself to appear in spirit form. Spotting the sign, he asked, _Other Me, just what are we doing out here at the bus stop at this hour? The sun's barely up!_

"Oh, aibou, you're awake," his other cheerfully spoke, and Yuugi was happy to note the streets were empty at this ungodly hour; the last thing he needed was the world to think up and coming Duel Monsters Champion Mutou Yuugi had a few bolts loose in his head.

_You still haven't answered my question._

"We're going to this place," the spirit answered, pulling out a booklet of ads and coupons and flipping to one in particular. "See here? It says 1500 yen a deluxe manicure, complete cleaning, trimming, and polish. It's a very good deal."

 _. . . And grandpa wonders why I never seem to gain any weight despite spending all of my allowance money_ , Yuugi muttered.

"Aibou?"

 _And just_ why _do we need to go and get this manicure? 1500 Yen is enough money for two Super Deluxe Cheeseburger combo meals at Burger World!_ Which, as far as Yuugi was concerned, sounded like a far better deal.

"Because, aibou, the press will be there." Upon seeing Yuugi quirk an eyebrow, the spirit continued, "A pharaoh cannot make a public appearance looking anything less than his best."

Yuugi rolled his eyes. It was _entirely_ too early in the day for him to be dealing with vain spirits from ancient Egypt trapped in pieces of tacky gold jewelry. _Fine. Do as you wish. I'm going back to sleep._

"Aibou?" the spirit asked, shaking the puzzle. Getting no response, he desperately shouted, "What did I do wrong, aibou?"

So much for the rest of the world thinking Mutou Yuugi was sane.


	11. Strands of Fate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Challenge Name and Number: #071, Control  
> Drabble Title: Strands of Fate  
> Word Count: 600  
> Warnings (if applicable): It's also a bit weird in that "supernatural beings playing games with our lives" sort of way.  
> Pairings (if applicable): Peachshipping, in a stop and think for a moment type of way.  
> Summary: The game started the moment the wish was made.  
> Author's Note: This drabble is the result excessive caffeine intake the past week (go finals!), lack of sleep, and YGO's obsession with destiny/fate. I hope you can tell who's who within this – and I do recognize I've forgotten quite a few of the minor characters, but, alas, 600 word limit, so I had to pick and choose.

_I wish . . . I wish for true friends! Friend that I will never betray, and friends that will never betray me!_

A golden box.

A shattered protector.

A nightmarish creature.

It was a simple wish – one of childish desperation, of loneliness. The evil creature stirred, and the game was afoot once more.

Here was a red string, tying a boy to a girl. A claw slashed through it, breaking it in two.

Here was a pair of strands – these children were supposed to be adopted by a loving family. The creature laughed, searched for an appropriately dark and evil strand, and tangled them together into a snarl of misery.

A third collection of strands, four in all, happily entwined in a life of happiness and love. The creature touched the braid, laughing maniacally as malice and vice poisoned it, causing it to unravel.

A fourth collection, five strands in all, hidden from the others, but spotted anyway. The creature paused – what to do next? A diabolical idea. An evil grin. A breath of madness, despair, and hatred. They twisted, writhed, and tangled as the taint settled in.

And the final string, white in its purity and potential for both good and evil, intertwined with the love of a family he treasured dearly. The creature grinned before running his fingers around the strand, coating and corrupting it with his dark power.

"Your move," he gleefully crowed. "And remember, _this_ is _my_ realm. What's free for me, is equivalent exchange for you."

The protector looked at the changed fates, and wept a little inside. Here and there, surrounding strands twisted, separated, and reformed, each adjusting to the warped darkness the creature had so liberally applied. Grim and determined, the protector set to work.

He looked at the broken red string, and tied it back together as best as he could, leaving wisps of his shadowy self between them. In exchange, he forgot Mana and Mahaado, his two childhood friends.

He looked ruefully at the snarled tangle and the two dangling ends; why he was filled with regret looking at the strands, he was unsure. But he twirled them together anyway, before tying them back to their original destiny. In exchange, he forgot his father, the man who showed him wisdom, strength, and compassion – the three things that made for a great leader.

Within the poisoned third collection, a single strand resisted, and the protector, out of admiration, imbued it with courage and perseverance, before entwining it with the first boy's string. That, the protector hoped, would be enough. In exchange, he forgot the members of his court, who supported and advised him at every corner.

The fourth collection had become little more than a warped spiral of madness and vengeance, far too strong for the protector to undo. Taking the far ends, he entwined the three dangling strands with that of the boy's. In exchange, he forgot the massacre, the event that started this grand game of destiny.

And the final string, the protector reached out to it, only to hear echoing laughter. There was nothing he could do, other than fight. Regretfully, he reached out for the first string of fate with a shadowed hand.

"I'm sorry," he murmured to the string, before addressing the gleefully grinning creature, "This may be _your_ world, but I don't forget, I _never_ lose."

With that, he forgot the last vestige of his identity – his name.

And in that same moment, the door was opened, a wish was granted, and the next turn started.


	12. Gratitude

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Challenge Number: 075, Searching  
> Drabble Title: Gratitude  
> Word Count: 590  
> Warnings/Pairings: Liberties with Ryou's background, one-sided Tendershipping-ish  
> Summary: He wasn't done repaying him yet, not by a long-shot.  
> Author's Note: Something of an attempt to explain just why Ryou never really resists Yami Bakura again later in the series, despite having done so during the initial Monster World Arc in the manga/Season 0.

He searches, day in and day out for the answer. For a way to bring back someone who has long since been lost to the sands of time; lost, to the Games of Shadows; lost, to the jaws of Ammit.

He has to bring him back.

Yes, his early months with him were filled with fear and periodic blackouts. Yes, the other had harmed innocent people, but he was sure, none of his so-called friends would understand.

How could they, when they had never lost another to a senseless tragedy?

He had been six years old at the time. Six, when his father came to pick him up from kindergarten, instead of his mother. Six, when he was suddenly no longer an older brother. Six, when the world around him suddenly grew cold as his father drowned himself in work to escape dealing with his own grief.

And the man responsible for it got a few measly years in jail and a heavy fines that were easily paid off.

So when it suddenly entered his life at fifteen, and he started hearingThe Voice, he was happy – happy that, for the first time in nearly a decade, someone was willing to listen to him and his past, and give him more than superficial sympathy and platitudes. It even offered to find the man responsible for ruining his life, and doling out proper justice to the man.

Shortly thereafter classmates, friends and bullies alike, started falling into comas, and he was no fool – he had no doubts as to who was responsible. And when Yuugi's other swept in like the grand knights in shining armor in the fairy tales his mother used to tell him, he had thought that taking the high road would be better – he threw his lot in against The Voice.

But that was before he got a letter in the mail from the man, not so much apologizing as much as blaming the alcohol for his actions – after nearly a decade, the letter had said, the man was going into rehabilitation for alcoholism, and part of the healing process was to apologize to all those he had hurt while he had been under its sway.

And right after, he sought it again, realizing how much of a fool he had been. Oh, he had been punished for his earlier betrayal, of that The Voice made sure of, but the original offer still stood – proper justice, in exchange for his complete cooperation. After all, the spirit said, it too was seeking revenge for the deaths of those it knew, and wouldn't it be nice if Ryou could help it out?

They weren't so different after all, and he willingly and knowingly accepted the deal.

The very next day, a small-town newspaper reported on the horrifically bloody murder of a local man, and the police had no suspects. In gratitude, Ryou gave the spirit free reign to do as he wished.

He had paid his rent, after all.

But then, just like before, Yuugi's other came in, and banished what was now his one source of comfort. And this time, it was more permanent than before. But that was alright. He had time. He had contacts. He would dig through every last inch of Egypt's deserts if he had to, if it meant he could bring him back.

And so he continues, searching one forgotten tomb at a time, listening for whispers in the shadows to guide him.

A good landlord always takes good care of his renters.


	13. Symbol

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Challenge Name and Number: #076, Distance  
> Drabble Title: Symbol  
> Word Count: 532  
> Warnings: None, really, just tons of post-canon creative liberties.  
> Pairings: None.  
> Summary: It had been a silly little thing really, a symbol marked upon them by a black marker. But it kept them going even now, even though they've separated and are chasing their dreams in different parts of the world.

A stumble. A fall. A sprained ankle. To most other dancers, this would have been discouraging, but to her, it was alright. Even as she carefully sat back up, taking care to avoid putting too much weight on the injured ankle, she clenched her hands, eyes, focused on her right hand the whole time. The ink may have been washed away years ago, but even now, she could feel it – the bond of friendship that had been created that day. She knew, the moment she went back to her tiny apartment in New York, and blogged about her day, that she would be met with a deluge of support and concern.

A chase. A swerve. The piercing wail of a siren. Amidst the chaos, he caught sight of his right hand as he frantically wrenched the steering wheel to follow the criminal's car. Another stomach-turning turn to the right, down an abandoned alleyway, but over the adrenaline rush of the chase, he could feel it – the support of his friends as they cheered him on. They'd counted on him to physically protect them in high school, and they counted on him now to keep their town safe.

A card. A fist pump. The loud cheer of the crowd as he played the card. He'd always been the underdog, the one everyone underestimated. Even now, with the world's two best duelists pursuing other interests, he was still compared to them. But he'd learned to stop listening to the critics long ago, and simply believe in himself, and his friends. After all, he thought to himself as he watched the animated demon drop the dice, he'd learned from the best, and knowing his friends were watching him play this match, live, from wherever they were in the world, was more than enough for him.

A letter. A sigh. The feeling of disappointment washed over him as he received yet another rejection. But he let the feeling go, choosing instead to focus on that pattern of black ink that once marked his hand. He wouldn't give up, not yet. He knew he had a great story – it was written from the heart, after all. It was a tale of courage, wishes, and friendship. Of never giving up, and always believing in oneself to achieve your goals and dreams. All he had to do was to keep sending out his manuscript to other publishers, and keep on trying. His Other Self never gave up on him, so why should he?

They'd all come a long way since that fateful day, when they'd been little more than a bunch of high school students in over their heads, but those obstacles taught them one thing: Even if their dreams take them to the farthest corners of the world, all it takes is a simple glance at their right hand to remind them they're never alone.

" _Everyone, put your hands together," she said, pulling out a black marker from her school uniform jacket. As they did so, she continued, "And I'll mark us with a special sign." As Jounouchi and Honda pulled their hands back in confusion, she explained, "It's a symbol of our friendship."_


	14. Emptiness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Challenge Name and Number: #080, Missing  
> Drabble Title: Emptiness  
> Word Count: 394  
> Warnings (if applicable): None  
> Pairings (if applicable): None  
> Summary: It was his favorite place to go during his teenage years, but now, all that's left is an empty parking lot and a "FOR RENT" sign taped to the window.
> 
> Author's Note: This drabble is dedicated to the MMORPG City of Heroes, where I spent many an afternoon (and two and a half years of subscription fees!) pretending to be a superheroine. NCSoft, the publisher, will shut down the servers on November 30, 2012. Even though I don't actively play anymore, I'll still miss the game – I met some very awesome people there while I did.

He walked out onto the streets, wrapping his jacket tightly around his shoulders as the chilly autumn wind whirled around him. A few people on the street openly gaped and muttered to one another as he passed by, but he ignored them. He had someplace else he wanted, no, _needed_ to be.

Burger World, their favorite burger joint and place to hang out after school, had finally closed for good. As a small family run burger restaurant, it just couldn't hold out in this economy. He stopped, surprised as he was greeted by an empty parking lot. In its heyday, Burger World was _the_ place to go – heck, between him and Jounouchi, they _made_ it the place to be. People would show up, get a drink or some fries, and then chat with them for tips or just for a friendly duel.

He walked up to the large windows that he and Jounouchi were always seated at – he knew the owners were using them to attract more customers, but they never minded – the drinks were cold, the burgers were fresh, and the fries were crispy. What more could they want? And for the most part, the fans were nice, either wanting an autograph or a quick opinion on this card or that strategy.

In its own way, Burger World had become their clubhouse, a special place for him, his friends, and his fans to meet. It was where he went to celebrate his tournament victories, and it was also there that he went to lament over his latest poor exam result.

And now, all that was left was an empty trash-strewn parking lot, an empty store, and a sign taped to the windows saying "FOR RENT" in huge letters, along with a phone number underneath it. No more daily specials, no more perfectly cooked burgers, no more deliciously fresh french fries. And even after he retired from dueling professionally, he still stopped by once a month or so during the off-hours, just to eat a late lunch and have a quick chat with the owner.

But even though he knew it was a long time coming, he still couldn't escape that empty feeling inside, knowing that he would never be able to (temporarily) return to that cherished time in his teenage years when all that mattered was his friends and dueling.


	15. Do Not Resuscitate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From here on, these will be all various other short stories/drabbles I've written, unrelated to the YGO Drabble Community prompts.

She heard the news as soon as she got there. Mutou Yuugi, former King of Duelists, was dead at sixty during emergency surgery for multiple stab wounds sustained from helping a teenage girl who was being mugged in broad daylight in one of Domino City's many dark alleyways.

It should have been a routine emergency surgery, except there had been complications.

And while those complications had caused his heart to stop, there should have been no problems reviving him on the table.

Except, there was this little note at the bottom of his patient file that read: Do Not Resuscitate.

And when she heard about the note, she cursed fate, destiny, the universe – everything. Not for the first time either. She'd cursed when she realized, after their first date, five years after _that day_ , that he would never be completely hers, that he would _never_ completely get over Atem. Hell, she'd cursed when she had to watch Atem walk through _that_ door – Jounouchi had been wrong when he thought she'd wanted Atem to win because she was in love with the spirit. She wanted Atem to win because she was positive that Yuugi loved the pharaoh as much as the pharaoh loved him, and damn it all to hell, why couldn't he stay so they'd _both_ have a chance at happiness together?

So of course, when the doctors told her, that Yuugi had gone to the trouble of getting a Do Not Resuscitate order put on his medical record as soon as he was old enough to – and without anyone else knowing, for that matter – she could only sit in the lobby, and cry.

Cry, for the half-life Yuugi had lived. Cry, because she loved Yuugi, and, if she were to be truly honest with herself, Atem too. Cry, for their children (and future grandchildren) who would have to continue through life without Yuugi's laughter and guidance. Cry, because some jealous little part of her secretly wished that she could go back in time, and change something, anything, at all, so that Yuugi could have had a real chance at happiness with her. Or, the hidden romantic inside her piped up and said, with _him_.

"Anzu, did you hear? Did the doctors tell you?" Jounouchi all but shouted in the lobby as her tears continued to flow. There was no doubt as to what he had been referring to.

"I know," she quietly answered, "and all I can say, is I hope he's finally found happiness."

Jounouchi whirled around and grabbed her shoulders, "What do you mean?"

She laughed, a bitter, broken sound. "You guys never noticed, did you? But I supposed it was to be expected, you didn't know him the way I did. Still don't. You never noticed the way he smiled at that Puzzle back in high school, or the way he held it like it was the world's most precious treasure, more valuable than the gold it was made of. You never realized just _why_ he still wears that studded leather choker, why he takes such good care of it. You never saw the way he looked at the Puzzle box through the years. You never realized that there were cards he never played in his later dueling career, even though they were still good cards, or in exhibition matches. Like the God Cards. Or the Black Magician." She paused to give an ironic smile. "Or Monster Reborn."

"I just thought he -"

She continued as though she never heard Jounouchi speak up. Her tears had dried up by now, and she knew that if she let anyone stop her, she would never be able to say what needed to be said. No, not needed, but certainly what she _wanted_ to say. "You just thought he changed strategies. Trying to keep it fresh for his competitors. But he wasn't. He never played them even in exhibition matches. He's had to turn down requests, you know, from people wanting him to play his 'God Cards deck'. He always offered to use his deck from his final world championship win instead, and sometimes, the organizers get angry at him for believing in some stupid superstition, in their words.

"But you know, there are times when I've caught him in the study, with that box in front of him. Every time, it's open, and he's flipping through a deck. And it's _his_ deck," seeing the confusion in Jounouchi and Honda's eyes, she clarified, "Atem's deck. He can still recite what happened turn for turn; I hear him mutter it often enough in the study where he thinks no one can hear him. The cards are still in the same order. The chain and the leather thong he wore the Puzzle on are in there too. He even cut through the back of the book case in the study to install a safe there. He tells me it's just there to keep the Puzzle box safe, but that's not all that's in there. There's a little stash of hairspray, hair gel, bobby pins, eyeliner, and mascara in there. Every Saturday morning, at 4am, he has this little ritual. He thinks I don't know about it. I've heard him talking to himself in the mirror, like he's talking to Atem[1]. He thinks he's quiet and careful enough when he climbs out of bed, except I'm a lighter sleeper than he gives me credit for, and I've looked in the study before while he's in the bathroom, and the safe's open, but it's empty except for the Puzzle box.

"And did you think it was purely because he loved games that after he announced his retirement from professional dueling, that he would go into Egyptology with a focus in ancient Egyptian games? The public all thought it was just his love for Duel Monsters leading him to create a more 'mature' career out of it. They were wrong. It was all for _him_. It was his way of keeping Atem alive in his memory. And I loved him anyway, even though I've known ever since we came back from Egypt, that I'd lost any chance I ever had with him. Don't get me wrong, he loved me in return, in his own way. But never to the same degree as he loved Atem, his other self. Never."

Jounouchi and Honda both looked at Anzu, faces mirrored in a mixture of pity and realization. Were they simply blind, or had they simply chosen to ignore the obvious signs? Or, and they were beginning to realize this more and more, had Yuugi simply been that good at hiding it all? And if that were the case, how well had they, who Yuugi himself had admitted on more than one occasion to be his closest friends, ever known Mutou Yuugi to begin with?

Her face twisted itself once more into a bitter smile, "All I can say now, is that he has my blessing to go onto the afterlife with no strings attached, and find the happiness he was denied in life. We only ever said, 'Till death do us part', even though we had decided on writing our own vows. If there was any doubt that I wasn't the one that held his heart, that was it."

A nurse came by then, with a stack of release forms for Yuugi's body. Dutifully, she signed each one, and handed them back to the nurse. And despite the nurse offering to let her go into the room and see the body one last time, she declined, and opted instead to leave the hospital, with its scents of sanitizer and medications. As she stepped out into the setting sun, she thought, _Atem_ , _he's in your hands now. Please take care of him as I never could._

And as she hailed a taxi to return home, she thought she heard a familiar voice – or was it two? - in the breeze say, _"Thank you, Anzu. For everything."_


	16. Shadow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a YGO/Persona fusion fic written for Halloween 2011, with a purposeful attempt at writing more Season 0!Yami.

He opened his eyes, to find himself in front of the school gates. What he was doing here, he had no idea – he spent enough time here during the week, and given the treatment he received there day in and day out, it wasn't exactly his idea of a place to hang out in his free time. It was dark out, this much he realized, but despite the lack of lights, he could still see. He looked up, and his jaw dropped.

The sky was the strangest mix of purple, black, and green he had ever seen, and unless he was very much mistaken, the sky was positively _glowing_. He shivered, not from any sort of chill (the temperature was quite comfortable here, wherever _here_ was) but from fear. Not that fear was anything new to him, after getting bullied and beaten up day in and day out.

In an attempt to calm himself, he muttered, "Okay Yuugi, what was the last thing you remember doing?" Digging into his memory, he remembered eating dinner, doing his homework, then spending a few hours working in the Puzzle like he did every other night. And then he'd gone to bed. Which meant, "I must be dreaming," he concluded.

And proceeded to pinch himself.

Except it hurt. "Now that's weird, I didn't think you were supposed to feel pain inside of a dream," he muttered, rubbing his sore cheek as he looked around. To his surprise, there was no sidewalk leading up to the school. If anything, it was like he was standing in the only sign of civilization for, well, as far as he could see. Which was, given the all-consuming darkness around school grounds, not far. He turned to his right and began walking, following the exterior of the school wall, seeing if it would lead to that street light with unpredictable signal changing times – he liked to play "Guess the Seconds" with it every morning; winning meant he would get himself juice instead of milk from the cafeteria during lunch, not that he'd yet to drink anything _but_ milk for lunch.

"Well, that was odd," he declared, as he found himself on the far left side of the school's front walls. He turned around and took a few more steps, only to find himself on the other side. Tenuously, he reached out with his right hand . . . only for it to disappear once it reached past the invisible barrier of the school's outer wall. Pulling his arm back, he walked to the front gates once more, except this time, they were open, as though to welcome him inside.

He entered the school grounds, unsure of what to expect. A sudden shout echoed through the air, and Yuugi nearly freaked out and ran before he realized what he was looking at. A much larger boy – not that it was hard to be taller or bigger than himself, Yuugi morosely realized – was gleefully rolling in a pile of dead leaves and trash.

"Money, money!" the other boy exclaimed as he tossed a mixture of dead leaves and trash into the air.

Just what was going on here? He walked onward, into the school building, past the shoe lockers, only to find the building empty. The eerie glow of purple and green illuminated his way through the darkened halls as he explored. A sudden shriek rent through the air, and following the noise, he threw open the door to a classroom.

"The pounding! My ears! The pain, it won't stop!" he clutched at his ears, blood leaking from them, clearly from his attempts at deafening himself to make the illusionary noise stop. Spotting Yuugi at the door, he rushed over, clawing at his legs, "Just make it stop!"

Yuugi backed away, scared. "I . . . I . . ." He stumbled back a few steps, before hastily running away up another staircase. Just what was going on here? What sort of torture were they going through?

Unhinged laughter followed by the crash of breaking glass echoed down the hallway, and this time, he found himself outside one of the science classrooms. The laughter died down as his hand shakily reached for the handle – did he want to even see what awaited for him on the other side? But he had unmistakably heard the sound of breaking glass, right? What if the person inside was hurt, and needed help?

Pulling together what little courage he had, he opened the door, noticing a faint sweet scent in the air. Feeling a little light headed, he peered inside, this time, finding an unconscious teenager sprawled on the floor, a trench coat with paper – each with some sort of tragic event written upon it – pinned to the inside. His lips moved, and Yuugi caught the faint sounds of mumbled words.

Kneeling down next to the other boy, Yuugi put his ear near the other. "I'm a psychic! The bottle is floating, see? I'm a psychic!" the other repeated, as though it were a mantra.

Shaking the other, Yuugi asked, "Are you alright?"

No response came as the other continued to mutter his mantra. No signs of injury were upon the other, although there was a shattered bottle nearby. Carefully manipulating the glass so the label was facing him, he read, "Chloroform?"

He didn't have time to ponder the situation as an explosion echoed through the school building. Rushing to the window in the classroom, he opened it, and, looking up, spotted the smoke billowing from the roof. Making an adrenaline-fueled rush up the stairs, he wrenched the door to the roof open, only to nearly heave at the smell of burning flesh. A figure was writhing in agony in the flames, and he quickly looked around for a bucket and a source of water. And he would have run down the stairs to the nearest bathroom, had a strange sight not stopped him dead in his tracks.

Standing there, next to the pyre, was a short boy with spiky hair, just like his own. His eyes were narrowed in a glare Yuugi knew he could never accomplish, and the other's lips were twisted into a maniacal grin. The other wore the dark blue pants and jacket of the Domino High uniform, but instead of the standard white dress shirt, he wore a black buckled leather top and a studded leather collar. The smoke was making Yuugi's eyes water, and his stomach finally decided it could take the stench of burning flesh no longer. Clinging onto the doorframe, he heaved – first the remains of his dinner, followed by nothing as he continued to dry heave.

"Why hello, Yuugi," the other drawled, sauntering over. "There's no need to react in such a manner. I'm only taking care of your bullies for you."

As much as he wanted to answer, his stomach would not stop clenching, and the other began to rub his back. Once he could properly talk again, Yuugi turned to his strange almost-clone. "Just what did you do?"

Confusion struck the other's face. "Only what you wanted. You were weak, you wanted justice. You wanted to punish them."

"No, not like this. Never like this."

The other reached out with a hand, cupping a cheek. "What are you saying? Deep down, you know you wanted to." A look of fondness crossed his twin's face, and Yuugi couldn't suppress the shiver that raced down his spine. "I'm you, after all."

Taking a step back away from his darker and taller twin, Yuugi clutched a hand to his chest. "I-I-"

A look of displeasure flitted across the other's face, and Yuugi couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding. "Why ever not? Didn't you want someone to save you? Someone who could make them feel _your_ pain? Someone who could make them stop?"

Yuugi continued to back away from the other, until his foot slipped, and he tumbled down the last few steps of the staircase, hitting his head against the wall with a solid thud. It should have hurt, but the adrenaline dulled the pain. He wanted to scramble onto his feet and run, run down the stairs, and away from this nightmarish duplicate of himself. Was this what they meant by someone having an evil twin?

The other followed, one step at a time, back lit by the flames behind him. Whether it was a trick of the light or just his eyes watering from the smoke Yuugi was unsure, but the other's outline seemed to waver, and his crimson pupils were positively glowing. He tried to scramble backwards, but the wall prevented him. His sweaty palms slipped along the floor, and the other knelt beside him, a look of curious concern over his features.

"I'm just doing what you've always wished for," the other said again, reaching out to touch his cheek once more. "They beat you every day, steal your lunch money, make your life a living hell at every opportunity. Look at them now! I've only given them a personal hell of their own to live in," a short pause as the grin grew wider, and then, "no matter how short it may be."

In his fear, Yuugi lashed out with an arm, slapping the hand away. "D-don't touch me!"

Confusion. "Why not? Like I said before-"

"No, don't say it! It's not true; it can't be true! There's," he was panicking and hyperventilating now, "There's no way you could be me!"

Anger and confusion crossed the glowing crimson eyes, but Yuugi plowed on, ignoring the emotions he'd seen.

"You're not me! I'd never wish for someone to do something like this, no matter how deep you dig!"

The other's eyes closed, as a maniacal – almost bloodthirsty – smile took over his face. He laughed, insane and feral as a strangely familiar golden eye appeared on his forehead. "The power!" he exclaimed with all the exhilaration of a power high, as he stood and stepped back. A rush of purple-black shadows wrapped around his clone as wind whipped up from nowhere, and Yuugi shielded his eyes with an arm.

A rush of wind caused the door to rattle on its hinges, nearly removing it, and when it finally settled down, Yuugi froze at the sight in front of him.

Standing in the middle of the roof was the outline of a creature with the head and wings of a falcon. His head was multicolored, as though it were covered in some sort of a headdress. A strange red and white crown balanced on its head – had the situation been different, he would have recognized it as the pschent, the double crown of Egypt. His tanned chest was partially covered by an ornate collar of multicolored beads, and thick golden bands encircled his arms. A multicolored kilt, held in place by an equally colorful sash, covered his waist, and his tanned legs ended in the talons of the bird of prey his head resembled. Turquoise wings sprouted from his back, spread in a display of pure power.

The other's eyes met Yuugi's, and in a distorted voice, he declared, "I am a Shadow, the true self." He took a step forward, the concrete cracking as the taloned foot stepped down, and began gathering power in an outstretched hand-

Yuugi's eyes suddenly fluttered open, his heart racing in his chest. Just what was that dream? Turning to look at his desk, he spotted his alarm clock, its glowing red numbers – he suppressed a shiver as he was suddenly haunted by a glimpse of the crimson eyes of his evil twin – reading 3:30 in the morning. Next to it, a golden box lay open, several golden puzzle pieces innocently reflecting the light of the full moon. He reached over, pulling the box to him, trying to take comfort in its presence, when he suddenly stopped.

The golden eye from his dream had been a perfect match for the one that adorned the front of the golden box.

An unbearable silence fell over the room, and Yuugi could hear little beyond the pounding of his heart in his ears. He frantically began searching his room, his eyes trying to pierce the darkness, glancing in every dark corner that wasn't illuminated by the eerie moonlight filtering in through his bedroom window. He suddenly had a feeling that there was something behind him, and he whirled around, arm outstretched, but he encountered nothing.

Nothing but air.

"Get a hold of yourself, Mutou Yuugi," he muttered to himself, breaking the silence as he laid back down on his bed. "It's just a dream."

On the desk, the pieces of the Millennium Puzzle continued to innocently glitter in the moonlight.


	17. Gift

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another short story, written for Christmas 2011.

The spirit walked through the living room, examining the sparkling lights, the brightly decorated tree, and the colorfully wrapped presents under it. It added a warmth to the darkness that hadn't been there all the other nights he'd spent wandering the Mutou residence in thought. _"A celebration for a savior . . . turned into a holiday of gift giving and family togetherness,"_ he murmured as he continued. He reached out to touch a colorful stained glass ornament, only for his hand to pass through it. He sighed.

He'd once been a pharaoh. A man who masqueraded as a god king with mighty powers and justly ruled over his people. He had to have a family once. The physical body he'd once inhabited had to come from _somewhere_.

But he couldn't remember them at all. Not a memory of his father or mother, not siblings (if he had any), no memory of what the air of his homeland tasted and smelled like, not even his own name! He clenched a fist, suppressing the urge to lash out, to hit something out of frustration. As the pharaoh, there was no doubt the world was once his oyster, and he had the finest of everything it had to offer.

And now, now he had nothing, not even a body to call his own, not even a name. He shared the name of his savior, and his savior called him his other self – he'd become nothing more than a shadow of a man. And on a holiday such as this, he couldn't even offer a small gift, a token of gratitude to the innocent boy who freed him from his dark prison, even if he wanted to.

After all, the act of gift giving necessitated that the one giving the gift _owned_ what he gave to begin with.

"Other me?" a sleepy voice mumbled from behind.

" _Aibou? What are you doing out of bed? It's not quite morning yet, shouldn't you be sleeping?"_

"I was, but then I had," he paused, as though he were hesitant to say something, before he shook his head and continued anyway, "I had another nightmare."

" _Other Malik?"_

"Pegasus first, then followed by Other Malik."

And the spirit fought the urge to scream. Here was a boy who loved games, whose love of puzzles gave him the determination to solve the Millennium Puzzle. He freed an amnesiac spirit from its confines, and his thanks for the nigh-impossible task? Nightmares from all the unscrupulous and crazed people of the world who were after the Puzzle for its power.

" _Come on, I'll go upstairs with you and I'll stay until you fall asleep again."_

"What were you doing downstairs anyway?"

" _Just thinking."_

Yuugi gave him a look that reminded the spirit just how intuitive he was, despite his childishly innocent looks. "I told you before, when I explained the holiday, that it's alright you have nothing tangible to give me. You already gave me the one thing I wanted more than anything else in the world through the Puzzle."

" _But I-"_

"You can't help not remembering anything, just as I can't help being so short." He paused, before turning around to look the spirit in the eye. "I meant it when I said I'd share everything with you, including my memories."

The spirit wanted to say something more, to protest harder, to point out all of the trouble and close scrapes the boy had to go through since then, but the look silenced him. So instead he replied with, _"And I meant it too when I said I wanted to stay here with you forever. I just wish it didn't have to involve sharing your body."_

By then, they had reached the bed, and Yuugi had tucked himself back under the covers. "Stay out with me until I-" the rest of the sentence was swallowed up by a large yawn.

" _Sleep aibou. And then yes, I will return to the Puzzle and rest too_."

"Good," came the sleepily mumbled reply.

And as the spirit watched the boy fall asleep once more, he murmured, _"Sweet dreams, aibou."_


	18. Just Tonight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songfic inspired by The Pretty Reckless' "Just Tonight".

_(Here we are_   
_And I can't think from all the pills_   
_Hey_   
_Start the car and take me home)_

Yuugi lolled his head to one side, vaguely aware that he was no longer in the club, amidst the pounding music, the flashing lights, the swinging glow sticks. He was no longer surrounded by dancers, bumping and grinding against each other simply just to feel another person in the darkness temporarily brightened by strobe lights. Someone said something, and he thought he felt a lurch as the seat he had been laid down on. His muddled mind tried to grasp where he might be, but he gave up. The comforting lull of all the drugs he had taken while he was there kept him safely cushioned from reality for a little longer yet.

Reality was cruel. Reality was not where the comforting darkness was. Reality was not where he could pretend that the Ceremonial Duel never happened.

_(Here we are_   
_And you're too drunk to hear a word I say_   
_Start the car and take me home)_

Kaiba glared disapprovingly at the person sitting across from him in the limo; he had received a call from the bonkotsu(1) saying no one had heard from Yuugi in at least a week, and they were all worried. It was not the first time this had happened in the years following that trip to Egypt, and Kaiba sincerely doubted it would be the last. Still, despite all the partying and hard drugs, Yuugi could still enter into a major dueling competition, and win. How he did it was beyond Kaiba's comprehension, and even though he was loathe to admit it, he was worried. Just six months ago, Kaiba had received a call from Mokuba, who told him to turn on the television – Yuugi had been taken to a hospital after collapsing at a nightclub, suspected of taken adulterated drugs. They had him transferred to a top of the line Kaiba Corp-run hospital, and even then, just barely managed to reverse the effects in time. Luckily for everyone involved, no permanent damage had been done.

"Oi, Yuugi, we're here." Yuugi slowly turned his head in recognition of a voice, and spoke nothing, but to Kaiba, the wide-eyed glassy stare said more than any words ever could have. Mutou Yuugi, King of Duelists, was so lost in his own drug-induced world, that not even the voice of his longest rival could not reach him. Sighing, Kaiba pressed a button on a side panel. It would be dangerous to let him sleep at home – or was the game shop even his home anymore? - tonight.

"Take us to the detox center."

_(Just tonight I will stay and we'll throw it all away_   
_When the light hits your eyes_   
_It's telling me I'm right_   
_And if I_   
_I am through_   
_Then it's all because of you_   
_Just tonight)_

"I-I'm sorry, Kaiba-kun," Yuugi said, eyes downcast as he sat on his bed in a private room at the center. It was a special room on the top floor, away from prying eyes with its own separate entrance. That was how they had managed to keep the full extent of Yuugi's partying and drug habits under wraps from the press, for the most part.

Kaiba gave him an irritated glare. How many more times will they have to do this? How many more times would he have to bail out his much shorter rival? It was clear that Yuugi regretted it later, so why do it at all? Yuugi looked up at him, shocked. Kaiba mentally grimaced – he had not meant to say the last part out loud.

"Why . . . ?" Yuugi replied as he looked up, his eyes baggy and bloodshot, his overall frame even skinnier than it had ever been. From Kaiba's location by the door, it almost looked like the twenty year old champion was nearing death's door.

"Yes, why? Why, when you regret it so much afterward?" Yuugi simply looked back down at the white blanket, Kaiba's question hanging heavily in the air between them. After fifteen minutes of just staring at the forlorn duelist, Kaiba turned on his heels, and wordlessly walked away.

Tears welled up then, as Yuugi curled up on the bed. "You wouldn't understand, Kaiba-kun," he sobbed. "No one would."

For, in saving the world from the darkness, Mutou Yuugi had to personally send away the one he loved most. _Atem . . . mou hitori no boku . . . I miss you . . ._

_(Here I am_   
_And I can't seem to see straight_   
_But I'm too numb to feel right now)_

Yuugi fumbled onto the bed in his apartment and sighed, waiting for the drugs to take effect. As before, he had left the detox center with a prescription for anti-depressants and a "new direction in life". The psychologist doubted him, gave him a look that said as much, but Yuugi did not trust the man – he seemed far too firmly rooted in science and logical explanations to believe the truth. No, Yuugi would treat his own pain his way. He could feel the numbing effects kicking in, and as he closed his eyes, he could just barely make out the faint outline of someone approaching who looked so much like him, but was yet, his complete opposite.

_(Here I am_   
_Watching the clock that's ticking away my time_   
_I'm too numb to feel right now)_

Somewhere in his room, his alarm clock ticked, and as Yuugi counted off the seconds, they started to sound more and more like foot steps. Louder and louder they grew, and slowly, Yuugi could start seeing more of the figure now: the eternally regal posture, the tri-colored hair, the school uniform jacket worn like a cape, the faint glints of light reflecting off of the metal studded wrist bands.

_(Just tonight I will stay and we'll throw it all away_   
_When the light hits your eyes_   
_It's telling me I'm right_   
_And if I_   
_I am through_   
_Then it's all because of you_   
_Just tonight)_

" _Aibou . . ."_

Yuugi smiled, he could hear the voice now as he began to float, just like it used to when he wanted to appear while Atem was in charge. The voice became clearer now, as did that confident smile, that piercing gaze. Atem, looking so very much like his physical twin, came closer, and drew him into a warm, full-bodied hug that Yuugi simply melted and relaxed straight into.

"Mou hitori no boku, I missed you. I miss you so much."

" _I know, Aibou, I know."_

"I know I'm supposed to move on, but I can't. You gave me what I needed then, when I was an awkward teenager who didn't fit in. I need you now, as the one who completes me."

( _Just tonight)_

And when Atem drew back only to lean forward for a kiss, Yuugi simply lost track of everything around him.

_(Do you understand who I am do you wanna know_   
_Can you really see through me now_   
_Now I have got to go)_

Kaiba angrily stormed out of the room and went down to the reception desk for the floor. "Just _where_ is the patient in this room?"

"Seto-sama, sir, the patient said you had approved him for release this morning, so the attending physician signed off on it, along with a follow-up visit with the psychologist for later this week."

"I did no such thing!" The nurse visibly paled as Kaiba turned to take the elevator down, calling up his personal limo in the process. Despite all of Yuugi's insistence that no one understood what he was feeling, Kaiba knew for a fact that each and everyone one of Yuugi's little group had tried to reach out to him.

But they all failed. Yuugi fooled and turned them all away with fake smiles and lies. When Yuugi turned to the drugs, they all sought him out, because he alone had the resources to help him. At the very least, they thought, maybe their rivalry would be the thing that would bring their friend back. Or so they thought.

_(Just tonight_   
_I won't leave_   
_And I'll lie and you'll believe_   
_Just tonight_   
_I will see that it's all because of me)_

"Mou hitori no boku, don't ever leave me again," Yuugi sighed between kisses.

" _Never, Aibou, never."_

Somewhere along the way, Yuugi was vaguely aware that he had lost his shirt, and he moaned as he felt Atem's hot breath at his lips, "Don't stop . . . I want more. I want everything." His half-lidded eyes saw his other half, face flushed and panting, gaze laced with hesitation. He writhed, rubbing their bodies together, desperate for more pleasure. He wanted – no, needed – everything, just to know, that Atem had not been some dream, that Atem was not some figment of his lonely imagination.

Atem laughed, warm and full of love. _"So eager, Aibou. Don't worry, we'll have all the time in the world now."_

_(Just tonight I will stay and we'll throw it all away_   
_When the light hits your eyes_   
_It's telling me I'm right_   
_And if I_   
_I am through_   
_Then it's all because of you_   
_Just tonight)_

"Kaiba, it's Jounouchi. I'm at Yuugi's apartment right now." Kaiba froze. Yuugi had his own apartment? Since when?

"Where is it, bonkotsu?" A few moments of silence, and then Kaiba's phone beeped to show it received a text message.

"It's there in that text. Hurry, Kaiba. I think Yuugi purposefully gave himself too much this time. He's breathing, but just barely."

In the background, he could hear two other voices - Honda and Anzu, he presumed – shouting at Yuugi, telling him to hang on. He heard some groaning and mumbling between the shouts, and then a horrified, "Oh my . . . he thinks he's . . . he's doing _it_ with Atem!" from Anzu.

And then it all clicked. Why Yuugi had gone from being an innocent bright-eyed teenager to the hard partying, drug addicted young man he was today. Why he had insisted that no one else would understand. Why he had turned to stimulants and hallucinogens. He had found himself in love with the very spirit he had to personally send away.

A spirit that was now forever out of reach, and left him with nothing save memories and duel recordings.

A spirit that no one really knew existed, save a certain few.

And the artifact that housed the spirit had been forever lost into the chasms of the earth, so Yuugi could not even keep _that_ as a memento.

And because cameras could not capture his appearance, Yuugi did not even have a picture of them together to remember him by.

_((Do you understand who I am?)_   
_It's all because of you_   
_Just tonight_   
_(Do you understand who I am?)_   
_It's all because of you_   
_Just tonight_   
_(Do you understand who I am?)_   
_It's all because of you_   
_Just tonight)_

Yuugi sighed in bliss as he cuddled up to Atem's arms. A blanket covered them now, keeping them both warm in their nakedness; where it came from, Yuugi did not know, nor did he care. Smiling, Yuugi leaned up and started to kiss his way down along Atem's neck, his tongue relishing the warm skin.

" _Mmmm, Aibou . . ."_ Atem's eyes rolled back as he began to moan the same word over and over. And Yuugi relished in it, for that was what he was. Atem's partner. The light to Atem's darkness.

And, as Yuugi had decided, this was the way it should be. Except . . . there was a noise now, muffled. Something – no, some _one_ – was calling his name.

" _Something wrong, Aibou?_ "

"Nothing, nothing at all, mou hitori no boku." He must have been hearing things. He was here now, with his other self, his other half. And that was all that mattered.

Except the voices, there was more than one now, would not stop.

" _Yuugi!"_

" _Oi, Yuugi!"_

No, no, just ignore them, Yuugi told himself. Here, in the darkness, with Atem was where he belonged. He wrapped his arms tighter, nuzzling ever closer to that delicious warmth, as he felt something stiffen near his thighs. And he grinned, ready for round two.

" _Insatiable, aren't we, Aibou?"_ Yuugi blissfully sighed as he found himself being flipped onto his back once more. A pair of near-identical hands pulled his arms up above his head, his waist straddled by near-identical legs. Kisses were spread all over his face and neck as pleasure radiated from the teasing grinding below. Yuugi wanted to moan, to give some sort of voice to the immense pleasure he was feeling, but there it was again, those voices that called his name – why did they have to distract him from this?

" _Ready for more, Aibou?"_

And before he could answer, Yuugi suddenly found himself standing, fully clothed, in a bright white room, with two glass doors in front of him. One led to his friends: Jounouchi, Anzu, Honda, Bakura, and even Kaiba was standing there, smiling – smirking, in Kaiba's case – and waiting for him. The other led into darkness, where his other half stood, waiting. He took two steps toward one door, then hesitated as he looked toward the other. Standing back, he closed his eyes and contemplated, and upon realizing what it was he truly wanted, made his decision.

And this time, when he walked up to the door, it was without hesitation, and was warmly welcomed on the other side.


End file.
